The present invention relates to an automobile rear-view mirror which comprises a flow guide member controlled by a first motor through a first transmission gear to guide outside currents of air toward the mirror in removing moisture from the mirror, and a rotary vane controlled by a second motor through a second transmission gear to induce a current of air for removing moisture from the mirror.
The rear-view mirrors of an automobile are provided for allowing the driver see traffic approaching from behind. However, the rear-view mirrors may be covered with a mist during a rainy day, causing the rear-view mirrors to be unable to reflect the image effectively. FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 4A show a structure of an automobile rear-view mirror designed to prevent the aforesaid problem. This structure of an automobile rear-view mirror is generally comprised of a casing 1', a mirror 2' mounted on the casing 1', a ventilation box 3' made of substantially rectangular shape and fastened to the casing 1' and disposed at one side by the mirror 2' near the automobile. The ventilation box 3' comprises an oblong front opening 31' longitudinally disposed on a front side thereof, an oblong bottom opening 32' on a bottom side thereof, a front through hole 34' through the front side, a stop rod 35' raised from the front side and disposed between the front oblong opening 31' and the front through hole 34', and a side through hole 33' on one lateral side thereof. There is also provided a miniature motor 4' installed inside the casing 1', having an output shaft 41' inserted through the side through hole 34' and coupled with a spiral gear 42'. A flow guide member 5' is provided and fastened between the ventilation box 3' and the casing 1' and attached to the mirror 2' at the bottom. The flow guide member 5' comprises two pivot pins 55' longitudinally aligned on two opposite ends thereof near one side, one inserted in a pin hole 11' on the casing 1' and the other inserted through the front through hole 34' on the ventilation box 3' and coupled with a spiral gear 6' meshed with the spiral gear 42' on the output shaft 41' of the miniature motor 4'. The flow guide member 5' further comprises a flow guide surface portion 51' formed of a series of slopes 52' sloping in the same direction. The slopes 52' are linked at one end, each having a bevel top surface 53' respectively sloping downward toward the front door of the automobile at an angle of inclination .THETA., and a smoothly and upwardly curved surface 54' on one end abutted to one another. When the automobile is moving, a current of air passes through the ventilation box 3' from the bottom opening 32' to the front opening 31', and then the current of air is guided by the flow guide member 5' to flow toward the mirror 2', and in this manner moisture is carried away from the mirror 2'.
The aforesaid arrangement can effectively remove moisture from the mirror when the automobile is moving at high speed. However, when the automobile is moving at low speed, the wind speed of the current of air being guided through the mirror by the flow guide member is not sufficient to carry moisture away from the mirror. Another drawback of the aforesaid arrangement is that the installation of the flow guide member is difficult.